The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Double Take.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Apopka, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create freely-flowering Spathiphyllum cultivars. The new cultivar originated from a deliberate cross made by the Inventors on Nov. 28, 1997 of the Spathiphyllum cultivar Jungfrau, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,627, as the female or seed parent and the Spathiphyllum cultivar Sweet Pablo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,817, as the male or pollen parent. The cultivar Double Take was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Homestead, Fla., on Feb. 3, 1999.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture since February, 1999, in a laboratory in Sebring, Fla., has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Spathiphyllum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilizer level and propagation procedures, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Double Takexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Double Takexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright, outwardly arching and symmetrical plant habit.
2. Glossy dark green leaves.
3. Rapid growth rate.
4. Early, continuous and freely flowering habit.
5. Fragrant inflorescences.
6. Pure white spathes that are positioned well above the foliage on strong and erect peduncles.
7. Long-lasting spathes.
8. Relative tolerance to low and high temperatures.
Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Jungfrau, when grown in side-by-side comparisons in Sebring, Fla., in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more upright than plants of the cultivar Jungfrau.
2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have larger and glossier leaves than plants of the cultivar Jungfrau.
3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are less susceptible to chilling injury and heat stress than plants of the cultivar Jungfrau.
Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Sweet Pablo, when grown side-by-side comparisons in Sebring, Fla., in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more compact than plants of the cultivar Sweet Pablo.
2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more freely and continuous flowering than plants of the cultivar Sweet Pablo.
Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Petite, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Sebring, Fla., plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the cultivar Petite in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more outwardly spreading and not as upright as plants of the cultivar Petite.
2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum grow more rapidly than plants of the cultivar Petite.
3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have larger, wider, longer and more rugose leaves than plants of the cultivar Petite.
4. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are less susceptible to chilling injury than plants of the cultivar Petite.
5. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more freely and continuous flowering than plants of the cultivar Petite.